The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-12-23

EN"eG. No
Tor Fuller, En- CAPT. W. A. FULLER
gin glnee sc, Cam and FrOm war time photo
the road machine shops, Mr. Anthony
Murphy, sat down to the breakfast table
not far apart. Before they had tasted q
mouthful, however, the sound of escaping
steam, the loud whir of the wheels on
the track and the cutlery that rose in a
moment from guards and camp, brought
them and all the breakfasters to their
feet. BY this time the locomotive had
started, and Fuller and Murphy, with
loud ordinations about the robbery of
the train, rushed pell nell with every
body else out on the platform, the
passengers who had been uncoupled and
left on the road not being behind others
in their complaints and uproar. The
whole camp also was In turmoil. A
single glance around showed Fuller that
there was no chance for help there; and
being man OF quick thought his mind
fastened on an idea-utterly wrong as it
proved-but which had the merit Of put
ting him vigorously to work The near
est guard declared that only four men
were engaged in the capture-he had only
seen those that mounted the engine-and
others corroborated him. Fuller remem-
bered the conscripts he had been warned
to watch for, and at once the thought
flashed across his mind, "Some of those
men, one of whom happened to know
enough OF an engine to pull open the
throttle, have jumped on my train 10 get
out of camp, and as soon as they are out
side they will leave the engine and run
into the mountains. must follow as
fast as possible and try to get it back be-
fore get very badly out of time"
The presence of Mr.. Anthony Murphy
that morning was purely accidental He
was going to examine an engine at ALA
toona reported out of order. AS an officer
of high authority on the road, command
ing all engineers and firemen, knowing all
the engines and everything about the road
perfectly, his presence at that time was
most unfortunate for us. He was q man
of great GOODNESS and good Judgment. His
first action was far-sighted. He sent Mr.
William Kendrick on horseback to Mari
eta to notify the superintendent at At
lauta by wire Mr. Kendrick arrived In
time to hold freight train there till
orders were flashed back to drop all cars
but one, run up to Big Shanty, load on
soldiers and pursue with all speed. This
was the first train in chase. A message
was also sent from Marietta to Richmond,
but no result followed that. My opinion
is that Andrews had in some way ar
ranged for cutting the wire between Chat
tanooga and Knoxville, which was the
only route by which the message could
have gone around and got on the line of
the Western and Atlantic railroad ahead
of US.
Had these been the only measures of
pursuit-wise Gnd judicious as they were
our task would have been easy But
Fuller's error and his ardent tempera-
ment prompted to another course. He
had called Murphy and Cain, Come on
with me-" they promptly followed and
the three Of them started at q dead run up
the track. The spectacle Of three men
running vigorously after flying engine,
us if they expected 10 catch it, instantly
restored the mob to good humor, and
they cheered and shouted with Laughter.
What would have been the fate of these
runners if they had overtaken us at the
| first stop, where we cut wire and OBJ
structed the track, it is needless to in
quire. They would have hardly begun
such chase had they not entirely under
estimated our number, as well as mis-
| taken our purpose. The Atlanta Southern
full of panic, written before the issue was
determined, speaks of us as ''some four
men yet unknown"
The different running powers Of the
pursuers were soon made evident in this
apparently hopeless chase. Fuller was
extraordinarily fleet and of great endur-
ance. His companions were equally
Jealous but less able for running They
were, therefore, soon spread out for a
| considerable distance. While putting in
his best efforts, Fuller shouted back en-
couragement to his comrades, but did not
wait The hope of getting his train soon
was too strong, and he also feared that
the reckless men who had taken it might
do some injury to the engine before he
could come up. The idea that they might
offer any resistance did not enter his
mind.
But the chase could not long have con-
tinued in this manner, for human muscles
cannot be pitted successfully against
steam. The labored breath and the de-
creasing pace of the runners showed that
they were well nigh exhausted; and as
curve after curve was rounded-for with
the instinct OF RAILROAD men they chung TO
the track-they grew discouraged; but
Just before their 'second wind" was ex=
hausted, they received both help and re.
newed excitement. They came to Moons
station, some two miles rom lac place OF
starting, and have never been able to make
even q plausible conjecture Of the time
consumed ia this first stage Of the jour
ney; but 1t is certain that II was just as
little as straining muscles and iron conld
well make ii.
Here they learned from the track laying
party that some of their tools had been
Borrowed" and . short distance beyond
some ties placed on the track and the
telegraph cut. This was our first halt,
and the track had been INSTRUCTED that q
train coming from Atlanta might be him
deHed, The pursuers here found hand
car-not one Of the elaborate machine
cars, which may be driven ut great speed,
but what Fuller termed Hpole car" II
was at once pressed into service and gave
welcome rest. Fuller ran IL back a lite
tie way and picked up his companions,
who were behind, then drove forward as
fast as the construction Of the car would
permit. Pushing with long pole In fat
boat fashion, quite rapid time could be
made on the level and on down grades,
while on the steep up grades two would
Jump OF and push at O full run.
At Ackworth they got reinforcement
Of two men, Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Stockely,
and hurried forward. All idea that they
were following conscripts had now been
given up. They had learned that the cap
tors had been seen oiling their engine, as
II preparing fer q long run, and seeming
i0 perfectly understand their work Fuller
and Murphy were now able, for the first
slime, to consult about their plans We
were running on regular time--a circuml
stance that they had noted in the reports
received from the different stations--and
s aha e great e sS e %ss esc aS1
Our leaders intention was to reach Adairs.
Vile In few minutes, in order to meet
two trains there which were now overdue,
These were the through freight and the
southern passenger trains, and they would